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Dont Look Back

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Dont Look Back

Released May 17, 1967

1h 36m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

59 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In 1965, the iconic troubadour Bob Dylan toured the United Kingdom at the age of 23, and director D.A. Pennebaker was allowed behind the scenes to provide one of the most intimate glimpses of the private and frequently cantankerous songwriter. The film chronicles Dylan's concert appearances, hotel room conversations, and transportation downtime, pulling back the curtain on the folk messiah at the end of his relationship with Joan Baez and on the cusp of his creative shift toward rock music.

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Critics Consensus

Don't Look Back leaves the mysteries of Dylan largely intact while offering a gripping verite-style account of a pivotal moment in his incredible career.

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Andrew Sarris

Village Voice

What Pennebaker records is not Bob Dylan as he really is, whatever that means, but rather how Bob Dylan responds to the role imposed on him by the camera. Compared to most public figures of his time, Dylan responds very well indeed.

May 9, 2022

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Derek Malcolm

Guardian

Whatever you think about Bob Dylan will probably be confirmed by [Don't Look Back]. It is a fascinating progress which stays just far enough away from idolatry to preserve a reasonably clear vision.

May 9, 2022

Full Review

Clifford Terry

Chicago Tribune

The questioners spend much of the 90 minutes trying to get Dylan to come up with some quotable philosophy-of-life statements in keeping with his lyrics, but the answers, my friend, are blowin' in the wind.

May 9, 2022

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

The boyish Bob is there with folk legend Joan Baez, Alan Price, Marianne Faithfull, and Donovan, then he turns into surly Dylan tearing into journalists and playing the obtuse artist.

Apr 29, 2025

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Christopher Campbell

Nonfics (Substack)

There are many different Bob Dylans in voice and image adding to his mystique, but I bet the first one that comes to mind for many is the Dylan appearing in this documentary.

Feb 26, 2025

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Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

Probably the most accurate depiction ever of the tensions and tedium of life on the road.

Jan 24, 2025

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Will G

This was a great documentary about Bob Dylan. All of the songs were awesome. It was mostly him hanging out with his musician friends and talking to reporters. It was nice to see London.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

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Jim A

Four of us old enough to remember Bob bursting on the scene saw this last night. We all thought the movie was awful - like a poor home movie. Most of us wanted to leave. Little singing, some Dylan pestilence and broken up jittery, dark photography. Best part was some of Joan Baez singing in a couple of scenes. She had such a wonderful voice. Better skip this one.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

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Valquria G

Impressionante 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/25/23

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Audience Member

Subterranean Homesick Blues aside, great home movie

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Audience Member

Not only the best Dylan Doc, but one of the best music historical documents out there. Just before he went electric. Bob is mesmerising to watch here. Music is amazing and the way people are around him is also fascinating

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Do you want to see Bob being indifferent to the lovely Joan Baez and watch their relationship crumble on film? Or, would you like to see boyish Bob flirt with a boyish Donovan over song? This one is for you! This is the ultimate boy Bob Dylan documentary which captures him at the height of his fame early in his career, so you get to see a Bob that's smitten with other famous-types here, probably something you would no longer find in a very worldly Dylan who won't even show up for his own Nobel Peace Prize*. Here he brazenly battles unhip news men, rants like a college drop-out, and shows what a little cocky young chap he was.** *The Nobel Peace Prize was originally created to put a nicey-nice-love-n-peace veil on top of Nobel's weapons manufacturing. **Severely insecure.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

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D.A. Pennebaker

Director

Bob Dylan

Self

Albert Grossman

Self

Bob Neuwirth

Self

Joan Baez

Self

Alan Price

Self

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Synopsis

In 1965, the iconic troubadour Bob Dylan toured the United Kingdom at the age of 23, and director D.A. Pennebaker was allowed behind the scenes to provide one of the most intimate glimpses of the private and frequently cantankerous songwriter. The film chronicles Dylan's concert appearances, hotel room conversations, and transportation downtime, pulling back the curtain on the folk messiah at the end of his relationship with Joan Baez and on the cusp of his creative shift toward rock music.

Director: D.A. Pennebaker
Producer: John Court, Albert Grossman
Screenwriter: D.A. Pennebaker
Distributor: Docurama
Production Co: Leacock-Pennebaker
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 17, 1967, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): May 1, 1998
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 27, 2015
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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